Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church (Seattle, Wash.)

This congregation was organized as Bethel Norwegian Lutheran Church on March 14, 1915, and the first building was located on 1st Avenue NW and West 74th. A small chapel was erected there and the program began. The congregation functioned as a mission congregation, receiving support from the church body until 1938. Only the basement was completed when the congregation moved into their new home at 70th and Phinney for the first service on April 23, 1922. During the war years the congregation experienced a terrific surge in membership. To meet this challenge, the present property was purchased on November 15, 1945, and a new structure was erected. The new church was dedicated on April 29, 1951. Ground was broken for an education building on August 15, 1958. A parochial school was added to the program during that time.